Weed-cutter and leveler for railroads.



B. 0. GOGHENOUR.

WEED CUTTER AND LEVELER FOR RAILROADS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.-8, 1914.

1 1 22,732. Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

THE NORRIS PETERS CO., FHOTD-LITHO.. WASHINGTON, u.

TINTTED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

BENJAMIN C. GOCHENOUR, OF SPOKANE, WASHINGTON.

WEED-CUTTER AND LEVELER FOR RAILROADS.

Application filed March 3, 1914. Serial No. 822,187.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, BENJAMIN C. GoCH- ENOUR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Weed- Gutters and Levelers for Railroads, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to improvements in weed cutters and levelers for railroads.

The object of my invention is to provide a device of this character which can be readily attached to the center of a car and operated by means of wheels engaging the rails upon which the car is traveling.

Another object of my invention is to provide means whereby the cutting or leveling roller or wheel can be readily swung up into a vertical position, so as to pass any obstruction along the side of the track, and also providing means whereby the drive-wheels of the device may be readily raised from the rails to stop the operation of the cutter. By this structure it will be seen that in moving the device from place to place, its operation is stopped and the cutting or leveling roller is thrown into a vertical position out of the if still further object of my invention is to provide a simple, cheap and more effective device of this character having certain details of structure hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a top plan view of a car showing my improved device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a. vertical transverse sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a detached perspective view of the universal joint, locking means.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 and 2 represent two housings vertically disposed and attached to the sides of the car 3, at the center. This means of attachingthe housings consists of inwardly extending ears 4 and 5, adapted to receive the side beams (3 of the car and having bolts 7 passing therethrough. WVhile I have shown this specific means of attaching the housings to the car, it will be understood that the same could be varied without departing from my invention.

The vertically disposed housings 1 and 2 have closed upper ends 8 and open lower Specification of Letters Patent.-

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

ends 9. Vertically movable within the housings 1 and 2 are the vertically movable hollow members 10 and 11, which have their lower ends extending through the open ends 9 of the housings and a considerable distance below the same, as fully shown in Fig.2.

The members 10 and 11, as heretofore stated, are of hollow form and are provided with transverse webs 12 intermediate their ends. l/Vithin the lower ends of the members 10 and 11, are bearing blocks 13 and 1 1-, in whlch is rotatablylmounted the shaft 15. The sides of the members 10 and 11, below the open ends 9 of the housings 1 and 2 on opposite sides, are provided with vertical slots 16 and 17 which allow a vertical movement of the shaft 15 within the members 10 and 11. Within the hollow members 10 and 11, below the webs 12, are coiled springs 18, which normally bearupon the upper face of the bearing blocks 13 and 11 and normally hold them in their downward positions. Carried by the shaft 15, intermediate the members 10 and 11 are two wheels 19 and 20, which bear upon the rails 21, and whereby the shaft 15 is rotated, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The upper ends of the members 10 and 11 have chains 22 connected thereto and the upper ends of the chains are connected to shafts 23, rotatably mounted in the housings and having cranks 24 on the outside of the housings. By rotating these cranks, it will be seen that the members 10 and 11 are raised within the housings so as to bring the shaft 15 and the wheels 19 and away from the rails 21 to stop the rotation of the shaft 15. In order to hold the members 10 and 11 in their upward positions, the housings 1 and 2 are provided with an opening through which a pin 25 passes and enters one of the series of openings 26 in the members 10 and 11, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawmgs. i y

The outer end of the shaft 15 has a universal connection 27 with a shaft 28 carrying the cutter 29. This cutter, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, is of a cylindrical form composed of a central solid drum 30 having a series of blades or cutter sections 31, arranged on its outer periphery and extending longitudinally thereof. These cutter sections abut each other and are provided with cutters 32, the cutters of one section arranged in a circular line opposite the space between the cutters in the adjoining sections,

as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawings. The cutter sections 31 upon the drum 30 are secured by means of the disks 33 and 34.

These disks have inwardly extendingflanges 35 which extend over the ends of the cutter.

sections and firmly clampthe cutter sections of the drum. The outer disk 34 is held upon the shaft 28 by means of a washer 36 and a I nut 37 screwed upon the screw-threaded portion 3S ofthe shaft 28. By this arrangement itwilfbejseen the any one of the sections can be removed or replaced when dulled or 7 broken. By the universal joint 27 it will be seen thatxthe cutter can be thrown in a vertical position, as shown in Fig. 2, thus bringing'the' cutter away from the road-bed out of the way,'so that it will not interfere with the moving train or other obstructionsalong the side of the trade \Vhil'e I have described the cutter 29 as used for cutting weeds, it will be understood that it willalso out into the ground and level the ground along'the. side of the track. This universal joint also allows thevcutter to be raised'when an obstruction is met along the track, such as a stump Jor telegraph pole, or the like.

a In order to lock the universal joint, I have provided a sliding cover 39 keyed upon the shaft '15 on the outside of the housings, which is adapted to,slide over the universal joint and protect the same and prevent the cutter from swinging upwardly when in operation. This cover 39 is held in its adjust edr position upon the shaft by means of the spring 40, having an inwardly turned end 41,. passing through an opening in the cover and entering, an opening 12' in the cover39 and also ail-opening e2 in the shaft 1'5. This allows of the ready movement of the cover on the shaft andjyet holds it in its adjusted position,v From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the device is applicable toany railroad car and derives its power directly from ,thelrailrand, therefore, needs no complicated driving mechanism, such ,as is ordi'narily used. I My device can also be readily removed from the car whenvdesired and the structureis such that the cutter may at any time be thrown out of operative position and the operating shaft raised from: the rails to stop the rotation of th'ecutter.

Having thus described my invention what I claim andcdesire to, secure by Letters Patcut is: a ,1 1. In a device ofthe character described, the combination with a car, ofihousings removably supported bythe caryi vertically movable members within the housings, vertically .movableboxings within the lower ends of the vertically movable members helow the.housings, a'shaft mounted within the boxings', wheels carried the shaft and adapted to be brought into the rails of the tracks, and a cutter having a the combination with engagement with housings, "and 'means -fo universal joint connection with the outer end of the shaft on the outside of one of the boXings. i i

, 2. In a device of" the character described, the combination with a car, housings-mounted on opposite sides of the car intermediate its ends, vertically movable members within the housings andextending below the lower end thereof, vertically movable bonings within the lower ends J of the members, springswithin the members and normally holding the boxing-s downwardly in the lower end of the members, ashaft rotatably mounted in the boxings, wheels'carried by thejsliaft for engaging the rails of the track, and acutter carried by the outer end of the shaft on the outside of one of the housings. 3. In adevice'of the character described, the combination with a car, housings carried by the sides of the car and oppositely arranged, vertically movable members within the housings and extending belowthe lower end of the "car, -and having oppositely arranged vertical slots below theh'ousings, vertically movable blocks within thelower ends of the members, springs fornor'mally'holdin'g'the boxings in the lowerend' of the memhere, a shaft passingthrough" the vertically arranged-slots in the members and rotatably mounted within the boxings', wheels carried by theshaft intermediate the housings and adapted to engage the rails ofthe track, and a cutter carried by the outer on the'outsideof oneof the housings.

4. In a device of the character described, thecombination with a'car, housings carried by the sides of theta! and oppositely arranged, vertically movable members in the housings and extending thereof, a shaft rotatab'ly mounted in the lower ends of the members below the housings, wheels carried by the said shaftinten mediate the housings and adapted to engage the rails of the track, a cutter carried 'bylthe outer end of the shaft on the outside of one of thehousings, shafts rotat'ably mounted in the upper ends of thehousing's, chains con-- necting said shafts and the" upper ends of the vertically rails of the track.

In adevice of the character described, I a car, housings carried bythe side's of the canandoppositely arranged, vertically movable members within the housings,- a shaft rotatably mounted within the lower ends of the members below the housings, wheels c arried the shaft intermediatethe housings and adapted to engagethe rails of the track, a cutter having universal joint "connection with the outer end of the shaft on the outside of one of the 'r' 5 vertically moving the members within the housings.

end of the shaft 7 below-the lower ends ovable v members, whereby the members" are raised within the housings to 6. In a device of the character described, the combination with a railway car, housin s carried by the sides of the car and opposite y arranged, verticallyymovable members in the housings and extending below the lower ends thereof, a shaft mounted in the lower ends of the members and vertically movable therein, means for raising said vertically movable members within the housings, means for locking the vertically movable members in their adjusted positions and a cutter having a universal joint connection with the outer end of the shaft on the outside of one of the housings.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination with a railway car, of housings carried by the sides thereof and oppositely arranged, vertically movable members in the lower ends of the housings, a shaft extending through the said vertically movable members, wheels carried by the shafts intermediate the housings and adapted to engage the rails of the track, a cutter having a universal joint connection with the outer end of the shaft on the outside of one of the housings, shafts rotatably mounted on the upper ends of the housings, chains connecting said shafts and the upper ends of the vertically movable members, said members having a series of openings, pins passing through the housings and adapted to enter one of said series of openings for holding the vertically movable members in their adjusted position, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination with a railway car, of housings carried by the sides thereof and oppositely arranged, vertically movable members in the lower ends of the housings and extending below the lower ends thereof, said members having oppositely vertically disposed slots, boxings vertically movable in said members, springs above the boxings for normally holding them in their downward position, a shaft extending through the vertical slots in the members and rotatably mounted in the boxings, wheels carried by the shaft intermediate the housings and adapted to engage the rails of the track, a cutter carried by the outer end of the shaft on the outside of the housings, and means for vertically moving said members in the housings, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN C. GOCHENOUR.

Witnesses:

J. A. ANDERSON, W. S. FREEMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of ratentn Washington, D. G." 

